On Sunday, five seniors said goodbye to the San Diego State softball field as they played their last home games in an Aztec uniform against the University of Nevada-Las Vegas.
Seniors Alicia Matulik, Christina Marquez, Brandi Bundrick, Renae Mohamed and Lisa Gonzales were all honored between games.
SDSU co-head coach Kathy Van Wyk knows that when the season comes to an end, the seniors will be missed.
“Obviously, you get a little emotional because it’s hard to watch them go,” Van Wyk said. “You know you’re going to miss them. They’re all great kids, and those (ceremonies) are always very hard.”
Unfortunately for SDSU (29-21; 13-11 Western Athletic Conference), the Rebels (24-22; 15-9 WAC) rained on the seniors’ parade, sweeping the doubleheader 8-3, 3-1.
UNLV got a strong pitching performance from sophomore Tanya Edwards (7-1) in the second game, and in the first game the team jumped out to an early 8-0 lead over the Aztecs and coasted the rest of the way.
Rebels’ head coach Shan McDonald felt that SDSU’s 1-0 and 6-0 sweep over them in Las Vegas last month didn’t add any extra incentive going into the games on Sunday.
“At this point in the season, who we’ve lost to and who we’ve won games from really doesn’t have any bearing on what we’re trying to do,” McDonald said. “Right now we’re trying to refocus and make sure we don’t fall short of giving it everything we have, and that was the main objective today.”
Even with the WAC’s leading home-run hitter Kim Rodina (14) out with a broken hand, UNLV didn’t miss a beat.
In the second game, Aztecs starter Gonzales (14-8) was forced to absorb the 3-1 loss despite surrendering only two earned runs in the game.
Having trouble scoring runs all season, SDSU’s offensive woes continued as the Aztecs were only able to scratch out three hits and one run off Edwards, who came into the game with a 4.55 ERA.
The Aztecs led 1-0 until consecutive RBI singles by Kelly De Arman and Keao Chang gave the Rebels the lead for good in the fifth inning.
In the first game, SDSU fell behind early as UNLV batted around the order in the first inning, sending across four runs off the eventual losing pitcher Mohamed.
By the end of the third inning, the Aztecs trailed 8-0 and were only able to get as close as 8-3 after three runs in the fourth.
The Rebels continued to hit whatever SDSU threw at them. They finished with 14 hits off three Aztec pitchers.
“It just wasn’t our day today,” Van Wyk said. “We didn’t get any balls to fall in, and it was really the first time all year that our pitchers got beat up on.”
Although the Aztecs didn’t emerge victorious, it will be a day certainly remembered by the five seniors.
“A day like today is emotional for everybody,” Marquez said. “I had a little tear in my eye when I hugged my mom because she’s been out there supporting me. Softball has been my life, and I know after the last game I’ll be crying.”
